Lessons Learned the Hard Way
by Avadedra Hetarra
Summary: Sequel to A Lesson in Understanding.Kei's past has errupted, taking Rin with it. With Naji comes a darker force, and a more dangerous path. Will Kei and Sho be able to salvage their family before they're all killed?
1. Chapter 1

Okay, so I know that Chapter 10 of A Lesson in Understanding just went up a day or so ago, but I really wanted to get at least this chapter of Part 2 up. Especially since I left it at such a cliffhanger... not that I did much better here.

Anyhow, thanks for everyone who stuck with me through the first part of this trilogy. With any luck, and a little harassing/encouraging from friends and loved ones, perhaps we'll see the next 9 chapters of this part and the 10 of the third. :) (hinthintwinkwink)

I must say before I let you get to the reading, that I'm sorry that this chapter is so short. It's more of a teaser, now that I think about it, but it serves its purpose for Chapter 2. I do hope that you enjoy it, though, because I am once again enjoying writing it.

Happy reading!

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**Lessons Learned the Hard Way**

**One**

_Naji's body shivered in his arms, making her seem even more fragile than ever. Kei kept running, ignoring the chilling cold of her blood soaking through his clothes. He could sense their pursuers more than see or hear them. As it was, they were racing the dawn as well._

_"K-Kei," Naji rasped, clutching at his shoulder convulsively. "Wh-wh…"_

_"Quiet," he gasped, stumbling to a halt at the outskirts of an abandoned town. _

_He slipped into the shadows, aware of the sun creeping over the foothills. Naji's breathing was becoming shallower and shallower. Kei forced his way into a house and carried Naji into the basement. _

_"N-need-," Naji groaned. "Weak…"_

_"I know," Kei hissed. "I know, I know."_

_He climbed back to the top of the stairs and looked out. The first rays of sun were creeping in through the glassless windows. With a growl, he pulled the door closed and descended the stairs again._

_"K-Kei!" Naji shrieked. _

_She lay in a widening pool of blood, shaking uncontrollably. Kei shrugged out of his blood soaked coat and spread it over her. Her wound wouldn't heal itself and ironically, she was bleeding to death. She needed to feed. _

_Now._

_There was only one choice, but he was wary to do it. Still, as much as he hated and despised Naji, the better part of him couldn't let her die. Not after she'd accepted him since Luka's death. He chewed his thumb, her harsh breathing rattling in his ears. Even though it was all but forbidden, he knew he had to do it. Steeling his resolve, he knelt next to Naji, drawing her back into his arms. _

"_Naji," he whispered, reaching around her slender form to push back his right sleeve, exposing the smooth flesh of his forearm. "Naji, you need blood."_

_She looked up at him, her eyes burning feverishly._

"_Please," he urged. "You can't die like this."_

_Naji's eyes ventured down to the arm that Kei presented to her. One shaking hand came up and latched onto his wrist as her teeth sank into his flesh._

_Kei hissed, closing his eyes. She pulled deeply, making him weak almost immediately. Her grip on him grew tighter as her teeth sank deeper. The blood stopped flowing and her wound slowly healed over, but she didn't let go. Kei knew that she'd gone too long without feeding. Much more and she was likely to kill him. _

"_Stop," he gasped. "Naji… stop!"_

_With a cry, he ripped from her grasp, flinging himself across the room, away from her. Naji howled, but did not move to follow. Kei curled himself into a corner as the marks healed over slowly. As the last of the blood dried on his skin, Kei slipped into a world of darkness._

_Three days later, when Kei could move again, he left Naji for good._

"Y-you're… a WHAT?" Rin screamed.

Kei couldn't decide what was worse: Rin's terrified and betrayed expression or Naji's shrieking laughter. Either way, he was lost for what to do.

"Yes, darling daughter of the Watchtower," Naji said, stepping away from Sho. "You've been in league with a vampire. How do you like that?"

Rin took the few steps between them, and before anyone could move, Kei found himself sprawled on the floor, blood trickling from his broken lip.

"You-," she growled. "You BASTARD! You're a… a… and you never… What the hell?"

She made to draw her sword, but powerful arms restrained her, pulling her away. Even held, Rin continued to spew anger and rage at Kei in four different languages as he pulled himself to his feet. Naji appeared at his side.

"Oh," she purred in his ear, sliding an arm around his neck to caress his chest, "she didn't know. Why haven't you told her, Kei? Are you ashamed? Do you despise what you are so much that you'd pretend to be human for her?"

Kei shook off his paralysis and tore away from her, anger rising in him. He uttered a sharp hiss at her.

"You! How dare you! You do not own me. You never have. Why are you trying to ruin my life? Again!"

Naji looked stung, her eyes flashing with anger.

"Ruin YOUR life? YOUR life? Kei, I'm the reason you're still alive!" she darted a hand out, catching Kei around the throat, squeezing. "If it weren't for me, you'd have followed my dear husband into death. I SAVED you Kei. And you left me. Abandoned me!"

With a scream of rage, she lifted Kei off of his feet as if he was nothing and cast him aside. He had no chance to stop his flight and he slammed into the wall. He cried out in pain as he felt something in his arm shatter, but it was only a brief discomfort as the bones began to knit themselves back together almost immediately.

"Kei, you are an ungrateful, poor excuse for a man," Naji hissed, moving toward Kei as he picked himself up off the floor again. "Why my husband ever thought to turn you, I will never know."

"It was his choice," Kei said, moving away from Naji, mind racing. "He saved me from a bad situation."

"Saved you?" Naji scoffed, following Kei's movements. "You call it a curse. Wretched creature, you are unworthy of him. How did you seduce him, hmm? Youthful play? Promises? Did you buy his affections, Kei?"

Kei kept moving away, watching Naji and her armed human guard. He shoved all thoughts of Rin and Sho from his mind, focusing all his energy, instead, on Naji, on keeping the vampiress distracted a little longer.

Rin listened to Kei and Naji fight, ignoring the confusion that welled in her mind. Her emotions were rampant, all her years of training as a vampire Hunter battling with her trust and respect for Kei. He hadn't threatened her in any way, but he had kept this secret from her.

"_But," _her mind tried to rationalize, _"you've kept a secret yourself. Did you out and tell him that you're a-,"_

Her thoughts were interrupted when she caught sight of Sho. His armed guard had moved away to watch the slow motion game of cat-and-mouse that had now moved to the other end of the bay. Sho had his head tipped back, all pretense of unconsciousness gone, and was attempting to free himself from the rope that bound him to the frame. He moved and caught sight of her staring at him. His eyes conveyed the anger and fear that his body fought against.

"_Help us!"_ those blue orbs cried.

Slowly, keeping an eye on all the, momentarily, distracted armed men, Rin slipped a hand into her jacket. Naji had been careless in leaving her armed. On her left hip lay four of her throwing knives. She closed her hand around one and pulled it free. She had to be careful, precise. Rin took a step forward, then another and another. No one stopped her.

"Luka was a fool," Naji growled, still following Kei's retreat. "To sire a sniveling whelp like you, he must have been out of his mind."

"What about you, Naji?" Kei spat, venom in his voice. "He sired you, didn't he? Do you think he'd be proud of the true monster you've become?"

"How dare you!" she screamed, lunging at Kei when he moved into the open. "How dare you speak to me this way!"

Kei easily evaded her, using her anger against her. He laughed.

"Why, Naji? Because you are the one who is ashamed?"

Naji howled and lunged again. This time, Kei met her head-on, bearing the brunt of the blow with a growl. Rin took advantage of the moment of confusion the clash caused and threw the knife. True to her aim, the knife sliced through the rope. Sho hit the floor with a dull thud and a groan. Rin pulled her wakizashi free and ran to him.

Naji heard Sho's groan through her anger and tried to turn, but Kei tightened his hold on her. He had counted on Rin's liking of Sho to spur her into action, at least for the boy's sake. Naji clawed at him, tearing his jacket to shreds and leaving deep furrows in the skin of his back. He cursed darkly, but held on.

Rin cut down three of the men who tried to stop her getting to Sho before they opened fire on her. In close quarters, though, they didn't fire much for fear of hitting one another. She ducked low and ran, covering the distance in a matter of seconds and skidding to a halt next to Sho.

"Took you long enough," he panted, working the gag from his mouth.

"Sorry. I needed a new pair of shoes," she replied, yanking the dagger from her left boot. "Hands."

He held them out so she could cut through his bindings.

"Let's get out of here," she said, standing up and taking a sharp swing at an approaching guard with her sword. "Now."

Sho nodded, looking over at Kei. He was bleeding profusely from a number of slash and gouge wounds, but he held fast to Naji, grim determination in his eyes.

"Kei!" Sho yelled. "Let's go!"

The vampire looked over at him, tears leaping to his eyes as he held the thrashing woman.

"Go yourself!" he called, dragging her farther to the other side of the bay. "Get out, Sho! I'll catch up."

Sho, terror in his face, stepped forward, but Rin grabbed him, pulled him back, practically dragging him toward the doors. A bullet flying past his face brought him back to reality and he ran on his own. Rin stopped long enough to send a few sin-bom into their pursuers before charging into the dark factory.

They slammed out into the open air of the night, gasping beneath thunderheads that rumbled with thunder and glowed with lightning. Rin headed for the car, Sho on her heels.

"Kei had the keys," she gasped, collapsing against the hood.

"No problem. Keep an eye out."

Sho dropped to one knee next to the rear bumper, feeling around beneath it. He came up with a small silver box and slid into the driver's seat of the convertible.

"Coming?" he said, looking at Rin through the windshield.

She all but threw herself into the car as he opened the box and dropped a set of keys into his open palm. Throwing the box into the back seat, Sho started the car and sped away. Rin twisted around in her seat to watch stall forty-six vanish out of sight.

"They're not following us," she said, turning to face forward. "Weird."

Sho nodded, concentrating on his driving. Rin stared out at Mallepa flying past her, her mind a mess. After a few minutes of silence, she turned to her companion.

"Sho?" she said softly. "About Kei-,"

"Not yet," he said a little more sharply than he'd wanted. "Not here. Okay?"

Rin understood and nodded. When Sho was ready, he'd talk.

"Will they kill him?" she ventured, watching the man form the corner of her eye.

"I don't know," he whispered, pain in his voice. "I honestly don't know."

There were a few more moments of silence before Sho spoke again.

"Will you?"

Rin closed her eyes and didn't answer.

They climbed the stairs to the apartment quietly, Sho opening the door with the spare keys. He vanished into his room, closing the door behind him. Rin, fighting tears of empathy for the pain and loss that she knew her friend was feeling, went into the kitchen and removed her weaponry, laying it out on the table.

Sho reappeared ten minutes later in jeans and a sweatshirt. Rain was battering the windows and lightning forked through the sky. Rin handed him a cup of coffee as he sat down at the table.

"So," he said, his voice flat, "you want to know about Kei? I'll tell you what I can. You might want to sit down. It's a bit of a story."

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Read and review please! (heart bubbles) 


	2. Chapter 2

Oh... my... goodness! I am SO VERY SORRY to all of you who have put this series on alert! I beg forgiveness from each and every one of you! (grovels) This is taking much, _much _longer to get written than I anticipated. Although, it doesn't help at all in the slightest that my JRock Muses have all started pounding on my head, and I've got three other fanfictions being written in tandem to this.

But that's not a good enough excuse! WHAAA! I'm sorry! Chapter 3 is complete, I just have to type/edit it, and Chapter 4 is started! Please be patient with me just a little longer! PLEASE!

(hides)

**Lessons  
**2 of 3  
**_Lessons Learned the Hard Way  
_****  
Two**

_I once asked Kei how old he was when he was turned. His only answer had been that the world had been a lot younger and a lot less scared of itself. My child's mind didn't fully understand it, and to be honest, I still don't. All I do know is that Kei is old. A lot older than I ever want to be._

He's told me a little about his life before. About his family. I don't think that he was happy, being the only child of a wealthy man. He never spoke of his father much or kindly, but I could tell Kei's father was the ruthless sort. One who was used to getting what he wanted, when he wanted it. I think Kei bore the brunt of his father's anger more than once.

His mother, he told me, was too gentle for her own good. But he loved her more than his own life. She died when he was a teenager, and he ended up running away from home.

The only time Kei ever truly expresses his real pain is when he talks about Luka. Luka, who promised him the world, then took it away.

From what he told me, Luka ran across Kei nearly a year after his mother's death. He said that he was a family friend, and Luka ever gave details of his parents that no one outside of the family would have known. And even though he was suspicious, Kei found himself trusting Luka from the moment they first met. Luka allowed him to open up, to be himself. He became Kei's friend and confidant, and after a while, all of his suspicion fled.

Luka also told Kei that he was a widower, that his wife had died around the same time as Kei's mother. Kei believed that, just like he believed everything else. It wasn't until much later, Kei told me, that he realized the expanse of the web of lies that had been spun in those first few weeks. But by then, Luka had stopped trying to deceive him. Kei's trust was natural and mostly unbreakable.

I asked him once why he stayed when he realized that Luka was lying to him. I assured him that if he ever tried to deceive m like that, I'd be gone in a heartbeat. Kei laughed at me and said that the difference between him leaving Luka and me leaving him was that I had somewhere I could go. If I left Kei, I could go to my older brother for shelter. Kei would never return to his father, his last living family. He'd rather have died, he told me.

He went with Luka for a few years as a traveling companion. In some places, they were viewed as father and son. In other places, questions were raised. And all through that time, Kei had no idea what Luka was, that he was a vampire. Kei would go ahead of Luka, settle them into a new place, and Luka would join him. That was the way of things.

Kei leaves a lot out of the story, I know he does. Over the years that I've known him, I've learned to tell if what he says is half or whole truths. There are no lies, only missing pieces. He doesn't tell me much, never really has, but I know he has his reasons.

The night Luka turned him, turned on him, is one that Kei swears he'll never forget, no matter how much else of his life before may be forgotten. Kei wasn't a teenager anymore, old enough to be viewed as an adult rather than a child. He told me that Luka had been acting strangely for a few weeks, grown distant and moody. And moody was strange for Luka, because he'd always been open and, in his own way, fun. Kei told me that Luka was always showing up with money, so Kei was always able to live comfortably.

But the night everything changed, Kei was beginning to suspect that there was something wrong. Luka had vanished for two days and when he'd finally reappeared at their house, Kei asked if he was drunk. He laughs now saying that the entire idea of Luka being drunk was stupid and childish. A quick fix for the real answer, a lie to hide the reality behind.

He said that Luka started talking, ranting. Almost lunatic raving, Kei said. About being alone, and being in love with Kei. About how his own creator had left him, had killed himself and left him alone. Kei says that that's the last time he remembers feeling any real fear.

At first, it was okay, because one Luka had said his piece, nothing happened. Kei actually went to bed. He says he went to bed human and woke up a monster. Luka attacked him in the night, in the dark. When he asked Luka why he did it then, Luka told him 'I didn't want to see my shame in your eyes.'

More years passed, all running together into a single heartbeat of time. Until twenty-four years ago. Before you or I were born, Luka died. Right here in Mallepa, on the beach. At the dawn of the New Year, the new millennium, Luka did to Kei was his own creator had done to him.

After that Kei is an even greater mystery.

The heavy curtains were bordered with a yellow glow, dust motes dancing in the haze, yet nothing stirred. Sho had stopped talking nearly an hour ago, yet Rin remained silent, thoughtful. During the course of the narrative, the two had left the kitchen in favor of the more comfortable living room.

Sho sat at one end of the red couch, leaning back as he watched Rin. She had curled herself into an armchair and sat with her head down. She'd had her eyes closed for so long that Sho was almost convinced that she'd fallen asleep until she spoke.

"There's something I've been wondering," she said, not lifting her head or opening her eyes. "Something that woman said. About you."

"What?" Sho asked, leaning forward to peer into his empty coffee cup with a frown.

"About Kei making you his... vampire love." She looked up. "What was that about? Are you two-?"

"Gay? Lovers?" Sho supplied, smiling with amusement. "No. We're not. Things aren't like that between us. As to what she meant, well, you'd have to ask Kei. I haven't a damn clue."

Rin nodded.

"Look, Rin," Sho said, an almost pleading tone in his voice. "Kei's not a bad guy. He hates what he is, loathes himself, but he'd never hurt anyone who didn't deserve it."

She stared at him for an eternity before looking away.

"I need time," she said softly. "And we have to find him first anyway. It's not like I can hate him too much if he's damn well not here."

"They could be anywhere in the city," Sho remarked, standing and making his way to a window. "With it being daylight, they'll most likely go underground, out of the light. Not even Kei's suicidal enough to risk escape during the day."

"Great!" Rin laughed. "I fall in with an emo, suicidal vampire and his braided sidekick. My father's probably turning over in his grave."

Sho shot her a confused look but remained quiet, dropping the curtain back into place and snatching his phone from the coffee table.

"I need to make a call," he said, grabbing his cigarettes and heading for the front door. "Why don't you clean up and get some sleep? You can use my room, if you want."

Rin glanced down at her dirty clothing and nodded, getting to her feet as the front door closed behind Sho. With a sigh, she made her way to the room that had once been Kei's and dug out some clean clothes. She was struck by the fact that Kei had given up his space for her when she could have just as easily slept on the couch or bedded down on the floor in Sho's room.

Shaking the thoughts away, Rin turned on the hot water tap.

Sho lit a cigarette as he dialed a number from memory.  
"Hello?"

"Son, it's Sho. You busy today?"

"No, not really. What's going on? You sound like shit."

"Rough night. I need your help. Can you come by?"

"Sure. I can be there in a few minutes."

"Thanks, Son."

Disconnecting the call, he quickly dialed another number, flicking the last of the cigarette into the parking lot below.

"Hey, Sho! So, you're still alive!"

"Good morning to you, too, Toshi. Are you working today?"

"No."

"Good. Come over."

"What's going on?"

"Kei."

Without explaining further, Sho hung up the phone as Son's car swung into view. The two men waved at each other as Son climbed the stairs.

"What's the deal?" Son asked, leaning next to his friend against the railing.

"Let's wait for Toshi," Sho said quietly, lighting a fresh cigarette. "So I can explain it one time."

Son nodded silently, staring out over the city as the last of the fog burned off. Sho's thoughtful countenance confused him and the worried look in his eyes scared him. Still, he knew Sho well enough to let the matter lie, or the boy would never open up.

With a familiar rattle, pop, and whine, Toshi's scooter bounced into view and slid next to Son's car. The boisterous young man flew up the stairs in a blur, breathless.

"What's going on?" he gasped. "What happened?"

"Inside," Sho said, pushing open the front door and motioning them forward.

Rin was just coming form the bathroom, her waist length hair wet and loose, when Toshi stumbled through the door. Her smile at seeing him faltered when an unfamiliar face came into view.

"What the-?" she began, staring from Son to Sho.

"Who's the chick?" Son asked in Cantonese, glancing from her to Sho.

Before Sho could answer either of them, Rin had crossed the room to Son and laid a stinging slap to his right cheek, causing him to stumble.

"Don't ever," she hissed in perfectly clear Cantonese, "Use _that _derogatory term with me. Ever!"

Rin spun on her heal and vanished into Sho's room, slamming the door behind her. Son watched, clutching his cheek, a bewildered look plastered to his face.

"Son," Sho said, kicking a laughing Toshi in the ankle, "you just met our new friend. That was Rin."

Son snapped his head around.

"The one you said-," Sho nodded, finally closing the door and smiling.

"Well damn it all to hell, then," Son groaned and collapsed into a chair.

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Read and review, please! (heart bubbles) 


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry! So Sorry! Here it is! Chapter 3! I'm sorry it's taking so long! My Muses have multiplied! They're eating my brain! I'm SO SORRY! (hides)  
Since writing this out by hand seems to be taking FAR TOO LONG, I've decided to kill my flash drive and continue it in MS Word. So, if I can get the Muses for my JRock Fanfiction (cough)smut(cough) to allow me some time, I might get more of it done. Cross your fingers.  
I'm working on Chapter 4... slowly... but you'll have it. Hopefully soon.  
(enrolls in Witness Protection Program)

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**Lessons Learned the Hard Way**

**Chapter Three**

"Where's Kei, Sho?" Toshi asked, breaking the thick silence that had fallen on the three men in the wake of Rin's outburst.

Sho dropped the curtain again, looking first from Toshi, whose expression was serious and determined, over to Son, who already bore the signs of bruises on his jaw.

"Kei's missing," Sho stated bluntly, falling onto the couch and dragging a cigarette out. "And we have no clue where he is."

"Did he go on his own?" Son asked, clearly remembering the rooftop conversation a few weeks prior.

"No," Sho sighed. "It was actually my fault. I got careless, and then I got caught. They lured Kei in. They used me to get to him."

Toshi made a choking noise and Son looked thoroughly confused.

"What? Why?"

"I don't know," Sho answered guardedly. "Something about Kei's past came back to bite us in the ass."

Son nodded, still not quite sure what was happening, but willing to go on a little blind faith for the moment.

"What do you need us to do?" Toshi asked.

Both Sho and Son jumped at the seriousness of Toshi's voice. The man sat at attention, and his old friend took a moment to appreciate the fact that the vampire meant nearly as much to Toshi as he did to Sho. He turned to Son first.

"I was hoping you could use some of your contacts to our advantage," he began, stubbing out his cigarette half-smoked. "There are a few names that have come up that I wouldn't mind having looked into."

"Sure," Son said, leaning forward. "What names?"

"Thomas Foster, for starters."

"Whoa, wait!" Son cut in, throwing his hands up. "Foster? _Thomas_ Foster? Are you nuts?"

"No. What about him?"

"Foster blew into town eight years ago. He's what you _gaijin_, an American. He came out of Osaka with a hell of a lot of power riding behind him. No one who's gone against him has come out of it. At least, that's the rumor. He has entire families murdered, from what I've heard. Other than that, there's not much to be found."

"Dig deeper, then," Sho snapped, rubbing his face. "He's got something to do with this."

Son swallowed his hot retort, knowing that exhaustion and stress were the greater part of Sho's attitude.

"And the other names?" he managed to ask levelly.

"Naji," Sho breathed, leaning back and closing his eyes. "Just Naji."

"Anything else?"

"No. No, that's all. Thank you, Son."

Son nodded, though Sho couldn't see it. He stood, looking toward the door Rin had vanished through.

"Should I-?"

Sho cracked open an eye and looked in the same direction.

"I wouldn't," he said wearily, letting his eye fall closed again. "She's got a temper. Try fresh next time you see her."

Son nodded again and left quietly. Another pregnant silence fell over the apartment until Toshi began to fidget.

"Sho? What about me?"

Sho dragged his eyes open once more.

"Just do me one favor right now," he half whispered. "Stay here while I sleep. Keep an eye on Rin."

Toshi barely had time to nod his agreement before Sho slid over onto his side, clearly unconscious. The smaller man made him as comfortable as possible, then sat down to wait.

Kei came into consciousness slowly, groaning at the pounding in his head. Blinking his eyes open, he turned his head slowly and looked around.

He could feel cold, damp stone beneath him, heard trickling water somewhere nearby, and saw a rat scuttle by a sloping wall. The whole area around him smelt of refuse and waste. His stomach lurched as he realized where he was.

The sewer.

Miles and miles of pipes and pits ran beneath Mallepa, stretching well away from the city in all directions. He could be just about anywhere.

"Fuck," he groaned, rolling onto his side and pushing himself up on his elbow. "Naji, what the hell kind of game are you playing?"

No answer came, so he surmised that he was alone. They'd dumped him here, and no doubt they'd be back when night fell.

Speaking of night…

Kei climbed to his feet, leaning against the wall for support. Seeing Naji again after thirteen years had broken something inside him. Their last meeting, her taking of his blood, had left a trace of her madness within him. And being in her presence, holding her body once again, had brought it all back.

All of it.

As she'd struggled against him, Kei had almost sworn that Naji had tapped into his brain, had sent her shrieking, maddened insanity into the very core of his mind. It had been all he could do just to hold onto her until he'd been sure that Sho and Rin had gotten away. After that, he'd let Naji act out her anger.

And now…

Once his vision stopped swimming, Kei pushed away from the wall and started walking, sometimes trailing his hand against the slick stone to keep himself balanced. He had no idea where he was going, but being on the move kept his mind occupied for the time being. After a while, his head began to clear and he no longer had to rely on the wall for support.

At a six-way juncture, Kei shed the shredded red jacket, and with a pang of regret, threw it down one of the left side tunnels. He took one on the right and didn't look back.

He stopped to rest a while later, sitting against the wall with his head resting on his drawn up knees. Being immobile brought on a new wave of dizziness, but he fought it off, for once feeling the fatigue that settled into his limbs. Contrary to popular belief, vampires _did_ get tired and worn out, just like humans. Especially if they were human to begin with.

A churning in his stomach that had nothing to do with his blood hunger drove him to his weary feet again, forced him to plod on through the labyrinthine pipes that ran beneath the city.

When his thoughts began to drift to Sho and Rin, and his anxiety over them threatened to drive him to his knees, Kei took to singing. He didn't know many songs and his voice was cracked and shaky, but he did it anyway.

"Yuugure ni, kimi to mita," he rasped out, skirting a wriggling mass of rats. "Orenji no taiyou." He came to another juncture and turned left. "Nakisou na, kao o shite," he continued. "Eien no sayonara."

A rushing sound echoed in his ears. It grew louder as he walked, and Kei realized with a jolt what it was.

The ocean.

His mind flew into action, the logical parts waking up and taking over. If he could get to the ocean, he'd be able to get his bearings. He'd be able to get home. To Sho.

Thoughts of his best friend flew into his mind unbidden. Kei fought them down, knowing that worrying about the boy right then would only lead to his panicking. Instead, he focused on the sound of the tide and moved forward.

Twice more he had to stop and sit, and each time, the sound was just a fraction closer. He could almost swear that he could smell the salt in the air. After each rest, he dragged forward, body screaming, mind racing, stomach churning. The crash of waves became discernible, and once Kei heard the distant echo of a gull calling.

Kei could feel the air thickening with the salt water and charged blindly forward. He was stopped abruptly by a burning sensation on his eyes and skin, and a rusted metal grate. With a sharp cry, he threw himself backwards out of the sunlight and back into the shadows. Once the pain subsided, he peered forward again, slumping against the wall.

The sun was clearly just rising.

"Fuck!" he snarled, slamming his palm against the stone wall. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!"

He was trapped. The only thing that separated him from home was an entire day.

"Of all the days for the rain to stop falling," Kei muttered darkly, retreating further down the tunnel to a small alcove.

He curled himself into it, sure that he would be well out of sight of the sun and anyone curious enough to peer through the grate. He let thoughts of Sho finally take over his mind, and gave a dry, whimpering sob when they dissolved into thoughts of Luka.

Slowly, sleep claimed him. And with sleep came the dreams.

_Sho stood on the roof, bathed in moonlight. His back was to Kei, his shoulders slumped. _

"_Sho?" Kei called._

"_Why did you do it?" Sho asked without turning around._

"_Do what? Sho? What?"_

_Sho turned slightly, looking over his shoulder at Kei._

"_Why did you let them do it, Kei?"_

"_What? Sho, what are you talking about?"_

_Kei reached out a hand, hating the terrified sound in his voice. Sho turned around slowly, refusing to look at Kei._

"_Why did you let them kill me?"_

_Kei couldn't keep from yelling in terror as Sho turned fully to reveal the gaping bullet hole in his chest. He fell to his knees, looking up at Sho._

"_No! I-I never… what happened?" he stammered, panic rising. "I didn't… I couldn't have let…"_

"_But you did," Sho cut across him. "You let them kill Toshi first. Then Rin. And then, you let them kill me. Why, Kei? Why?"_

"_Oh, God, Sho," Kei sobbed, holding his hands out to the boy. "I'm sorry, so sorry. I never meant… I never wanted…"_

_A sharp piercing pain when through his chest. Looking down, he saw the tip for a blade protruding from his body just below his ribs. Gasping, he looked up to see Rin circle around him, a perfectly round bullet hole just above her right eye. She stared at him coldly as she moved next to Sho._

"_You said nothing would happen to us," she said. "You promised to protect us."_

"_I… I…"_

_Kei felt himself sliding sideways. He landed with a crunch of gravel just as Toshi appeared, a bleeding wound in his stomach. _

"_We trusted you," he accused. "With our lives. Our lives! And you let us down."_

_Kei's eyes drifted closed, cutting his three friends from sight. He sank down into a black oblivion, drifting free until something slammed into his chest and stomach, driving the air from his lungs. He opened his eyes and saw Luka hovering over him, eyes glowing in the darkness._

"_Luka?" he gasped. "What-?"_

_A fist slammed into his stomach, silencing him and driving the air from him once more. Luka took advantage of the moment and attacked. Kei felt the weight of the others body settle on his and tried to scream when the fangs sank into the juncture of his neck and shoulder. Oxygen starved lungs refused to cooperate as his body began to convulse._

_He felt the blood draining from his body, felt his heart rate slow to dangerous levels. Still, Luka held, pinning the small boy beneath him even after the convulsions had stopped. After what felt like an eternity, Luka pulled back, eyes wide with blood euphoria, fear, and regret._

_Leaning back down, he pressed bloody lips to the dying boy's cheek while he clawed one of his forearms open. Kei whimpered._

"_Shh. We'll fix this," Luka whispered, holding the bleeding arm over Kei's parted lips. "Take this. It will help."_

_When the first drops fell onto his lips, Kei turned away, weak and fading. Luka gently guided his face back up and pressed the arm against Kei's mouth. Almost involuntarily, Kei licked the wound, tasting Luka's blood and a very slight trace of his own._

_A searing, burning sensation ripped through his body. With an ear splitting scream, he thrust Luka away, clawing at the bite mark on his throat, screaming breathlessly._

_Screaming and screaming…_

Kei jerked awake, hearing the echo of his cries fading down the tunnels. His throat felt raw as he pushed himself up and peered out. It was noticeably darker now, but still not enough. The patch of sunlight no longer reached the metal grate.

"Luck at last," he whispered, creeping forward.

The grate, it turned out, had been tampered with before. The areas around the spiked in the ceiling and floor had been chiseled away, making it easy to lift free. Kei worked it loose and set it aside, making his way to the end of the pipe.

The day was fading into twilight as Kei dropped the few feet to the sand below the pipe. He was on the backside of a large retaining wall, well out of the sunset's rays. He inhaled the salty air, welcoming it gratefully after the stench of sewage.

Looking around, he realized exactly where he was, and smiled. This was a favorite nightspot that he, Sho, and Toshi had come to when the boys had been kids. He remembered watching them build sandcastles in the moonlight, then laughing as they destroyed them with feet, hands, and buckets of water.

This was also where he'd given them all their first guns, aware of Shinji's burning gaze in the back of his head as the oldest boy adamantly refused the gift. He clearly saw Sho and Toshi ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the weapons, comparing them to one another and boasting about who would be the better marksman.

Kei shook his head to clear the memories and looked around. The first stars were winking on over the water.

"Magic hour," he said to no one in particular. "Time to move on."

He turned his face to the north and starting walking again. He'd be home in an hour.

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Poor Kei... (hugs him)  
Read and review, please! (heart bubbles) 


	4. Chapter 4

So, it's chapter four. I've realized that, in order to get everything I want into this trilogy, I have to start cramming the chapters. Therefore, they might end up getting just a little longer as they go. Sorry.  
As requested, this one has a little bit more 'action' to it. And for some reason, I like the fact that Kei comes across as somewhat emo. It makes the storyline more fun to play with.  
Chapter Five is in progress. The answer of Rin's involvement with one of the title characters will be answered. Hopefully no one gets too upset by it. Ha ha. I'll stop teasing now and let you read.  
Enjoy! **

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**Lessons Learned the Hard Way**

**Four**

"Toshi, I need you to be my ears."

Sho dropped the curtain yet again and resumed his pacing of the living room. Rin held herself stiffly in an effort to keep from tackling him. One look at Toshi affirmed that Sho's behavior was getting to him as well.

"I need you to go out and listen, see if anyone's talking about anything I've told you. Try to get inside."

"Sure, yah," Toshi said, getting to his feet. "I can do that."

"Check in if you hear anything."

"Of course. Sho, I know how this works."

The younger man nodded, running his hands across his face. He'd only been able to sleep for two hours before Son had called. Rin had taken the call, handling Son as if their slight altercation had never taken place. Sho had made every attempt to fall back into sleep, but his mind had already begun racing with possibilities and depressing images. Give it up for a lost cause, he'd gotten up.

That had been six hours ago, and Son hadn't called again. Toshi was getting fidgety, asking again what he could do to help. Finally, Sho decided it would do better to let Toshi go, as he worked better on the move.

"Thanks, Toshi."

The normally bouncy man nodded somberly before heading to the door. Rin reached out and gripped his hand as he passed by, smiling when he gave her a small squeeze in return. Moments later, Toshi was gone, leaving a heavy silence on the apartment.

"I'm sure he's alright," Rin said softly, watching Sho closely. "He's a strong guy."

"He hasn't fed in a while," Sho returned flatly. "In about a week, I think. I tend to lose track at times."

Rin felt a familiar twist in her stomach at the harsh reminder of Kei's true nature. She swallowed, shoving those thoughts to the back of her mind. That was a bridge to cross later.

"Still," she pressed, "Kei's a tough case. He's okay, I'm sure of it."

Sho finally looked at her, gratitude flashing in his tired eyes.

"You should try to sleep again," she went on. "You look like hell."

He let out a rough chuckle, falling onto the couch and rubbing his face again.

"I know I should," he said. "I know I should, but I can't. Not until this is over. Not until Kei's back."

Rin's resistance to Kei melted slightly.

"You really do love him, don't you?" she asked softly.

"Kei raised me," Sho replied, smiling lightly. "He raised _us_, even if Shinji denies it. He took us off the street, gave us a home. I owe him a lot. Hell, I owe him everything."

Rin's stomach lurched again when she realized that she, too, owed Kei something. Whether she liked it or not, Kei had helped save her life. She was honor bound to him. She'd been raised well, engrained with the knowledge and understanding of honor and loyalty. Kei had saved her, she had to repay him in kind, or risk dishonoring her lost family.

Getting to her feet, she clapped her hand together, changing tactics quickly.

"Well," she said briskly, moving to take hold of Sho's arm and pull him to his feet, "if you won't sleep, you will eat. Don't tell me no. Kei would never forgive me if I let you starve yourself to death. Move your ass, buddy."

Sho couldn't help but smile as Rin hauled him into the kitchen and dropped him into a chair at the table.

She set to rummaging in the refrigerator and the cabinets, tossing vegetables into the sink and cans onto the counter. She'd become quite comfortable in their kitchen in the past few weeks, so she felt no need to ask permission to cook, nor ask where anything was.

Sho got up at her bidding to set two pots of water on the stove and peel a few carrots. They worked quietly for a while until the pots bubbled gently with simmering rice and vegetables. Rin made some coffee and they sat at the table, waiting for the food to cook.

"Rin, how old are you?" Sho asked suddenly.

"How old do you think?" She grinned cheekily.

"I don't know. Twenty-one, twenty-two?"

Rin giggled.

"Not likely. Try nineteen."

"Are you serious? You're just a kid."

"Look who's talking! You got what, two years on me at best?"

Sho shook his head, propping himself on his arm as Rin went to spoon their lunch into serving bowls.

"Besides," she continued, setting a steaming serving of the soup in front of him, "it's not like I don't know what I'm doing. I was raised with this stuff, I was raised to fight."

"How old were you when you started fighting?" Sho asked, blowing on his food to cool it.

Rin thought for a few moments, counting back the years from her last birthday.

"I think I was somewhere around six when they gave me my first knife."

Sho cocked an eyebrow.

"Six? That's pretty young. What kind of childhood was that?"

"A hard one."

Rin avoided further conversation for a while by diving into her food. Sho looked at her levelly for a moment before following suit and eating. His stomach wasn't quite in the game, but he managed to eat half of what she'd given him before he felt like he'd be sick.

"I tried," he said meekly as she eyed him, shoving his bowl to the side. "It's good; I just can't eat right now."

"Understandable," she said, rising to collect the dishes.

While she was busy cleaning up, Sho slipped out the front door, lighting a cigarette and leaning on the rail. Through the open door he could hear her humming some aimless tune, running water and clinking porcelain and metal together. It was easy to forget for a moment that things were bleak, that Kei was missing somewhere in the city, possibly in the hands of a lunatic. If he closed his eyes, Sho thought he might be able to pretend that life was _normal_.

"_Far from normal,"_ he thought as the phone began to ring.

"Sho, it's for you," Rin called.

Tossing the dead cigarette over the railing, he headed back inside, closing the door. Rin handed him the phone, giving him an encouraging look before moving back into the kitchen.

"Moshi mosh?"

"Sho? It's Son."

"Anything?"

"Yes, actually. I caught wind of some rumors, but you're not going to like them."

"I'll be the judge of that."

"Well, it has to do with your friend, Rin."

Sho glanced into the kitchen, watching for a moment while she dried one of the pots and put it away. Taking another cigarette, he went back outside, pulling the door shut this time.

"What about her?"

"Do you remember a few years back, there was a family in Tokyo that was killed?"

"Son, there's been a lot of families killed in the last few years."

"This family stands out, though," Son pressed, his voice taking on an edge. "It wasn't just that they died, it was _how_ they died."

"What?"

"The family was _slaughtered_. There wasn't much left of _anyone_ when the authorities were called. A lot of the details were kept out of the press, but some things leaked out. It was rumored that the oldest son was torn to pieces."

Sho suppressed a shudder.

"What does any of this have to do with Rin?"

"I'm getting to that. At the time, they thought the whole family was killed that night, but about three years ago, it was released that the youngest daughter was still alive. There were some people that helped her go into hiding, but they'd started turning up dead. A year ago, she fell off the radar."

"You think it's Rin, then?"

"No, Sho. I _know _that it's Rin."

"How?"

"One of the people I talked to showed me a clipping from the newspaper. It had a picture of the family in with the article. She was young, probably no more than eight or nine, but it's Rin. It's your Rin."

Sho sat down on the top step of the staircase, the phone pressed to his ear.

"Was there any word on how they'd died, other than being torn to shreds?"

"Not officially, but word is that it wasn't anything human that did it."

"Thanks, Son. Anything else?"

"No, not yet."

"Why don't you come back to the apartment? Rin made something to eat, there's plenty left."

"Yah, sure. See you in a while."

They hung up, leaving Sho's mind whirling with questions and dead-ends. Climbing to his feet once more, he re-entered the apartment. Rin looked over at him from the bookshelf, smiling briefly before returning to her perusal of the titles.

"Any news?"

"Not really," he said easily, placing the phone back on the charger. "Just a lot of nonsense that makes very little sense."

She nodded, her expression unreadable.

"I'm going to get a shower," Sho said. "Will you be alright?"

"I'll be fine," Rin returned, smiling once more. "I'm a big girl, and it's not like you're leaving the country."

Sho chuckled as he headed down the hall. He gathered some clean clothing from his room and headed into the bathroom.

Rin sighed, pulling a book from the shelf. Glancing at the clock, she bit her lip, sliding into her normal chair. The sun was setting and it would be dark soon. Curling her legs beneath herself, she opened the book and attempted to read.

Kei stepped onto the street, glancing around. The shadows were lengthening and it was cooling off as night fell. Shivering slightly, he set off at a swift pace. His headache was coming back, along with the tingling in his system that indicated his blood lust. He'd have to feed soon, but at the moment, he was too intent upon getting home. Streetlights flickered into life over his head, casting his shadow in multiple directions.

Mallepa came to life slowly, traffic in and out of the bars and clubs growing steadily thicker. He walked as nonchalantly as he could, his hands in his pocket, but his bedraggled state and the slump of his shoulders still drew some attention. Growing weary of the streets, he ducked into an alley and vanished into the darkness.

It was thankfully dark and quiet in the alleyways, and although the smell reminded him of his hours in the sewers, he pressed onward, drawn by thoughts of a hot shower and a soft bed.

The man caught him by surprise, coming out from behind a dumpster, knife in hand. He slammed Kei into the opposite wall, bringing a loud grunt from the small man as the air was driven from his body. The man pressed the blade to Kei's throat, leering in the darkness.

"Valuables," the man growled. "Now."

"I don't think so," Kei gasped, reaching up to grip the man's arm.

"Really now?"

"Yes, really."

With a sharp flick of his wrist, Kei twisted the man's arm. The knife clattered to the ground as his attacker was forced to move with the pressure or risk having his arm snapped.

"What the hell?" the man howled. "Let me go!"

"I don't think so," Kei said softly, his hunger rearing its ugly head, causing his subconscious mind to take over. "You see, I'm really hungry."

Kei thrust the man against the wall, muffling his screams with one hand, all but suffocating him as he took what he needed. The rational part of the vampire's mind tried to find the logic behind this unprecedented attack.

"_He preys on others,"_ Kei thought, following the dying man to the ground. _"If not me, he'd find someone else. Who knows how many people he's hurt, or how many he would hurt. He's scum, he's useless, he's dirt…"_

Kei straightened slowly, letting the limp, lifeless body fall from his grasp. He wiped the blood from his face with the back of his hand, nausea sweeping through him as his body absorbed the blood. He looked down, thankful for the shadows that obscured the man's face. He'd rather not know what his unsuspecting victim's face had looked like.

The good mood that he'd been in faltered as his rational mind fought the never ending battle of wills against the monster inside of him. He kept his step quick and his guard up, unwilling to let the same mistake be made twice.

He stepped out into a juncture in the alleyway and looked up. The night was clear and cool, the moon only a quarter full. The city lights drowned out most of the stars, but a few braved to shine bright enough to glow through. Kei dropped his gaze, knowing that he wasn't far from home now. Picking up his feet once more, he continued on.

The hairs on the back of his neck began to prickle as the apartment came into sight. Unease settled into his stomach, coiling there like a snake. He quickened his pace, almost breaking into a run when he spotted the first of them. Four of them, two from each side, all armed and heading in the general direction of the apartment.

"_No!"_ he screamed internally. _"NO!"_

He was within shouting distance when he finally broke into a run. He saw the front door open, saw Rin step out. She was completely unaware of the danger as she leaned on the railing, leaving the door open behind her, backlighting her perfectly. He saw her face as she looked down, saw he spot him and recognition dawn on her face. She opened her mouth to call out but Kei was faster.

In a movement too fast to actually observe, he vaulted, hitting the roof of a car for an extra boost, and cleared the second story landing. Rin let out a shrill scream as Kei hurtled into her, tackling her back through the open doorway. Her anger rose in a flash, but was gone even faster when the first bullet ripped through the open doorway. One of the pictures on the wall shattered, showering them both with fragments of glass. Rin yelped and covered her face, curling beneath Kei's body as more bullets flew into the apartment.

Sho came sliding out of his room, hitting his knees to avoid the gunfire. Crawling quickly, he skirted the living room.

"Kei, move!" he yelled, coming up behind the door.

Kei grabbed Rin and dragged her further into the apartment, hissing as a bullet found its way into his shoulder. Rin moved willingly, staying low. Sho gave the door a shove, slamming it behind them. The bullets continued to rain upon the door, and the window a few feet to Sho's left shattered as the barrage was turned on it.

"Move to the back!" Sho yelled, pointing down the hall toward his own room. "Go!"

Kei pulled Rin to her feet, keeping his body over hers as much as possible as they dashed down the hall and into Sho's room. He couldn't hold back a cry of pain when another bullet ripped into his back, but he kept moving, knowing it was only a temporary hindrance. Rin dove through the door, collapsing onto the floor, Kei right beside her.

Sho watched until they were safe, then hurtled to his feet and down the hall himself. He narrowly dodged another volley of gunfire as he threw himself into the room. No one moved as they lay there, listening as the rattle of gunfire continued for a while before finally tapering off completely. Huddled together on the floor, Rin between the two men, they waited, listening intently.

"I don't think they're coming up," Kei said after a while, slowly easing himself to his feet to move to the door. "Come on."

He pulled Rin to her feet, checking to make sure she was unharmed. He cupped her tear streaked face gently, caring eyes searching her face as he soothingly petted her hair. She gave him a watery smile before collapsing against him, hugging him tightly.

"You saved my life again," she said, fighting back more tears. "Thank you."

Sho got to his feet, his expression torn between anger and relief, hatred and love.

"What took you so long?" he finally asked, crossing his arms over his chest impudently.

"Traffic?" Kei returned, smiling a little.

"My ass," Sho growled.

Rin giggled, stepping back from Kei.

"No really," Kei went on, appearing nonchalant. "Traffic was terrible."

Sho glared for a moment longer before giving in to his relief. He surged forward, bringing the vampire's smaller body into his arms tightly. Kei returned the hug, losing himself for a moment in the embrace of his dearest and most treasured friend. Yet, as quickly as it began, the embrace ended with Rin clearing her throat softly.

"As much as I would love to let this reunion continue," she said teasingly, "there's a mess to clean up and plans to make. I don't think that whoever did this is going to stay gone for long."

Before either man could respond, there was a loud scrunching noise as the front door was pushed open over the glass. The three of them froze, listening intently.

"What the hell?" came the familiar voice of Son. "I swear, if you guys are dead, I'm going to kill you."

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Read and review, please! (heart bubbles) 


	5. Chapter 5

Finally, Chapter 5. After tomorrow (11/13), I should be able to work more freely on this and all of my other fictions. Yae! My research papers will be done and turned in, so I can focus on more of my creative writing with more ease.  
Sorry if this chapter kind of sucks. I needed to set up another plot loop and couldn't think of any other way to do it. But there's lots more to come. Please be patient!  
AVA**

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**Lessons Learned the Hard Way  
Five**

The window and door were replaced with no questions asked by the contractors or the apartment manager. Things like that were common in Mallepa. Rin and Sho cleaned up and salvaged what they could, though most of the items on the bookshelves and the pictures on the walls were irreparable. Errands were run during the day, often times by Rin and Sho together, but sometimes accompanied by Son or Toshi.

Son and Rin had started over and were off to a better start, already quite comfortable around one another. After dark, the five of them would hunker down in the apartment, unless Toshi was working, but for the most part life was trying to return to normal.

A few nights after the attack, Kei told them where he had woken up and what happened after, artfully leaving out the part about the man in the alley. That he explained to Sho later, when they were alone. He did his best to make Rin comfortable around him, but he could always sense a small amount of fear and distrust. Not that he could blame her.

He was, after all, a monster.

It wasn't long after that Son finally asked Rin out on a date. Kei had seen it coming, but that didn't mean he wasn't shocked when he'd finally and actually done it. Sho, on the other hand, was dumbfounded.

"Wait," he sputtered, staring hard at Son. "A date? Like, dinner and a movie?"

Son choked back his laughter at Sho's childish behavior, recognizing right away the 'big brother' behavior that he was exhibiting.

"Yes, that pretty much covers it," Son returned, smiling.

"You've got to be kidding me," Sho muttered.

"What?" Son countered. "Am I not allowed to be interested?"

"I never said that!"

"But you're implying it."

"No I'm not."

"Come on, Sho, admit it," Son teased. "You're worried about her."

"No I'm not," Sho shot back, a flush rising on his cheeks. "She can take care of herself."

"Then it's me you don't trust."

"Should I?"

Son finally laughed, falling back onto the couch howling his mirth. Sho looked murderous. Kei entered from the kitchen, looking at the two of them quizzically.

"You guys need to grow up," he remarked, dropping onto the couch next to Son.

"Bite me," Sho snapped.

The remark was met with a raised eyebrow, but Sho decided to ignore it. He eyed Son for a long moment.

"Come on, Sho," Son said, gaining control of his breathing finally. "Admit it. You care about Rin, and you don't want to see her hurt."

Sho snapped his mouth shut, clenching his jaw tightly against the scathing remark he longed to make.

"I leave you two alone for three minutes and this is what I come back to?"

All three men looked up at the sound of Rin's voice, two jaws dropping while the third just smiled. Wrapped in red, Rin was stunning. With her hair worn loosely around her shoulders, she looked older than her nineteen years.

"What?" she asked, smiling brightly. "Am I not allowed to look hot?"

Sho choked, clutching his stomach as he coughed. Kei chuckled lightly, reaching over to punch Son in the arm.

"Go," he urged, motioning him toward Rin. "Go have your date, have fun."

Son snapped out of his reverie and stood up. Quickly, he moved to Rin's side, taking her hand and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"You look great."

Rin blushed and let Son lead her out the door, waving to Sho and Kei on her way by. Kei smiled brightly after the door closed and the apartment was quiet once more.

"She does look great."

Sho stared at the door for a while.

"Sho?"

"What?"

"Let it go."

Sho deflated into the chair.

"I'm worried. Is it safe to let them go out like that? What if-?"

"That's not the real reason you're worried, admit it."

Sho blinked.

"The hell do you know?" he spat. "What the hell do you know about what I think?"

Kei remained quite, letting Sho have his small tirade. The vampire knew exactly what the problem was, knew the precise reason he was wound so tightly he might snap. When the younger man jumped to his feet suddenly, Kei sighed loudly, expressing his annoyance at Sho's behavior without words. Sho shot him an equally annoyed look before disappearing down the hall and into his room.

The sun finished setting and darkness fell across the apartment. More out of habit than need, Kei rose quietly to his feet and turned on a few of the floor lamps. The silence became oppressive after a while, so he opened the cabinet and flipped through a few CDs before selecting one. The sound of soft piano music filled the apartment as Kei moved back to his chair, leaning his head back and closing his eyes.

His mind drifted back over the past few weeks, wondering at the thinking of Naji. There had been no further movement from her, no contact, no attack. Things had fallen silent in the world, life continued on from day to day, but that didn't mean that they could let their guard down. He'd only agreed to let Son take Rin out on the man's promise that he would check in every few hours. He couldn't stress enough that they were only facing the calm before the storm and that they all had to remain alert.

Sho's behavior, though, was what worried him the most, what scared him above all else. There was something else bothering Sho that he refused to talk about, something that was eating him up inside. Kei was afraid that it would be too late before the boy would finally speak up, and that his anger would do more harm than was necessary.

Sho resurfaced two hours later, pulling his jacket over his shoulders. Kei watched him quietly as the boy searched for his keys and cigarettes.

"Where are you going?" he asked softly when Sho opened the door.

"Out," Sho snapped. "I want to see my brother."

He slipped out the door before Kei could object, darting down the staircase and into the parking lot. The air bore a light chill, sinking into his cheeks and nose as he turned his feet east along the sidewalk. He lit a cigarette and smoked it quickly, letting the nicotine work on his nerves. Tossing the refuse into a garbage can, he lit another, taking his time to enjoy it.

Rounding the last corner, Sho stopped short. Two men were leaving Shinji's shop, and they weren't the normal two idiots who visited during the day. These two wore dark suits and ties, crisp white shirts glowing under the strips of fluorescent lights in the shop windows. They glanced around, letting the door fall shut behind them, before turning in the opposite direction and vanishing into the crowd.

Sho waited a few more moments before he went forward, peering through the dark windows of the fish shop. Quietly, he pushed open the door and slipped inside.

"Shinji?" he called out.

"Sho?"

Jesse appeared from behind the counter, her eyes wild under her disheveled hair. There was a bruise on her right shoulder and a cut on her cheek, but she looked more or less unharmed. She launched herself around the counter, dashing across the shop and into Sho's arms, tears streaming down her face in waves.

"Jesse what happened?" Sho asked, wrapping his arms protectively around her. "Where's Shinji? Where's my brother, Jesse?"

"Sho! I don't know! They just flew in here, asking questions, but I didn't know what they were saying! They weren't speaking Japanese. Then Shinji came, and they turned on him. He tried to protect me, so he led them…"

Jesse broke down, pointing to the door leading to the large cement fish tanks.

"Jesse, listen to me," Sho said softly, pushing her back and looking into her face. "I want you to listen. Go to my apartment, tell Kei what happened. Tell him that I'll be back as soon as I find Shinji. Do you understand?"

Jesse stared at him blankly, still crying. He shook her gently.

"Jesse, tell me you understand!"

"I-I understand," she choked out.

"Good. Now go."

Jesse nodded, glancing around before moving out the door and into the crowd. Sho watched her go, slowly counting to twenty before turning to move through the doorway. Instinctively, he reached for his holster, cursing himself for once more leaving the apartment unarmed. He thought he should have learned by now.

"Shinji?" he called, peering into the darkness. "Nii-chan?"

Sho heard a low moan from the back of the room and moved toward it. Shinji sat slumped in a corner, holding his head in both hands. Sho moved quickly, dropping to his knees and gripping Shinji's shoulders.

"Nii-chan?"

Shinji raised his head slowly, blinking at Sho slowly. There was a purpling bruise over his left eye.

"Sho? What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you. Nii-chan, what happened?"

Shinji blinked again, looking around as if trying to get his thoughts in order.

"Jesse? Where's Jesse?"

"She's safe. I sent her… away. She's alright. Not hurt."

"Good. Good. They were going to… they tried to…"

"She's fine. What happened?"

Shinji stopped, looking straight into Sho's eyes, the brown orbs clear for the first time in years.

"It's your fault," the older man spat, roughly shoving Sho away from him. "They came here about you! You and that damned monster!"

Sho fell back onto the floor, catching himself on his palms. He watched, stunned, as Shinji struggled to climb to his feet, his face going pale.

"Nii-chan? What the hell are you talking about?"

"Those… bastards… that came in here. They were asking about you and your monster. They went after Jesse, but she was too scared to say anything. She kept crying, kept telling them she didn't know anything. Sho, they were going to kill her! If I hadn't stopped them, if I hadn't stepped in… I don't want to think what might have happened to her."

Sho got to his feet, trying to think, trying to understand what was going on. Shinji moved toward the wall, legs unsteady as he clutched at his head. Sho followed slowly, keeping his distance. His brother seemed to discount him, muttering darkly under his breath. Sho could tell that even while his head pounded from the beating he seemed to have taken, he was suffering withdrawals.

"Nii-chan, let me-," Sho reached for Shinji's shoulder.

"Don't touch me!"

Shinji spun quickly, one arm shooting out and catching Sho in the side of the head. The younger man yelled, crashing sideways into the wall. Shinji swung again, his fist slamming into Sho's stomach, crumpling his brother to the floor. Sho crouched, gasping, trying to stop the world spinning around beneath him.

"Get out," Shinji growled. "Get out and _never_ come back. You're not welcome here, never again."

Stumbling, Shinji vanished into the shop. Sho stayed on the floor, groaning and clutching his stomach, confused. When he was finally able to breathe, he lurched to his feet and moved into the main room of the shop, finding it empty. Not willing to cause more trouble, Sho left the shop.

Slowly, he was able to straighten up and breathe normally, but he still stayed close to shop fronts and walls, as the blow to his head still had him reeling. Only a few blocks from home, he sank down onto a bus stop bench, holding his head in his hands as his emotions finally got the most of him. He cried quietly, shoulders shaking with heavy sobs, tears leaking between his fingers to drop onto his pants.

"Sho?"

Rin had stepped from a small café, Son right behind her, and spotted Sho. She sat down next to him and wrapped a gentle arm around his waist, laying her forehead on his shoulder. He didn't move away, opting instead to continue his misery.

"Come on," Son coaxed after a few minutes, glaring at a few young girls who wanted to stop and stare. "Let's get you two home."

Rin nodded, standing up and tugging Sho's arm. He went willingly enough, wiping his face with the backs of his hands. Son moved to throw a friendly arm around his shoulders as Rin wrapped an arm around his waist on the other side. They walked in silence, neither asking nor giving any indication as to what had brought Sho to his state of mind. No one paid them any mind.

"Kei?" Rin called, pushing open the door to the apartment and leading Sho inside. "Hey, Kei!"

"Keep it down," Kei said softly, coming out of Sho's room and pulling the door shut behind him. "Jesse's asleep."

"Who?" Rin asked.

"Jesse," Sho answered emotionlessly, shrugging out of his jacket. "My bro- Shinji's girlfriend."

Kei's brow knit together, taking in Sho's distraught look and tense frame. Sho shook his head and moved to the couch, sinking onto it to wordlessly stare at the ceiling.

"Why don't we all get some rest," Kei said. "It's been a long day. Sorry to cut your date short, but there's a lot that needs to be taken care of tomorrow, it seems."

"No, that's fine," Son returned, smiling. "I understand completely."

He turned to leave, Rin following him outside to say goodbye. After the door closed, Kei moved to sit next to Sho on the couch.

"What happened?" he asked.

"What did Jesse say?"

"Just that some rough characters came into the shop, asking questions. She's been warned by Shinji enough times to disavow us, so she didn't say anything."

"That's about all I could get out of Shinji before…"

"What?"

"He threw me out. For good."

Kei remained silent, watching from the corner of his eye as Sho lit a cigarette and blew the smoke lazily at the ceiling. Another tear crept down his cheek, a small sob escaping his throat. The vampire gently took the cigarette and snuffed it out before gathering his young companion into his arms, cradling him carefully in his embrace. Sho cried again, clinging to the only steady, strong, and reliable force in his entire world.

Rin came back into the apartment, kicking her heels off, and crossed the room to curl up behind Sho. She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head between his shoulders. Glancing up, she met Kei's eyes over the top of Sho's brown head, communicating between them without words. They knew, then, that they would get along, that they would work together, and perhaps Rin would learn to love Kei again, as she had before she had found out the truth.

Resting her cheek against Sho's heaving back, she decided that she would tell Kei her own truth just as soon as she was able.

-

Jesse sat curled in a chair the next day, recounting her tale once more for the three of them. Rin sat next to her on the floor, gripping her hand companionably. Jesse broke down twice, barely letting the younger woman check the cut on her cheek in her fear.

"I know what Shinji told me," Jesse was saying. "He told me that you two did some things, that you dealt with some pretty rough things. So, I know when I shouldn't say anything when asked. Shinji always told me that protecting Sho was priority, that keeping his little brother alive was more important to him than anything."

Sho stiffened slightly next to Kei, diverting his eyes for a moment.

"He really cares about you, Sho," Jesse said, regaining his attention. "He may act all distant and cold to you, but he always worries about you. He'd get mad for me saying, but he's told me a few times that he's proud of the man you've become, but he wishes that you'd have made better choices. He's scared for you, Sho."

Kei bit his lip, but kept still and silent. It wasn't Jesse's fault, none of it. It was his and his alone. And somehow, he'd have to learn to live with that.

"I need to go," Jesses said abruptly. "Shinji will be waiting, I need to get back."

Rin walked her to the door, encouraging her to call them if they needed anything, anything at all. Jesses embraced the younger woman briefly before disappearing out the door. Sho lit a cigarette and leaned back on the couch, clearly not wanting to talk to anyone. Kei sat at the other end of the couch, watching Sho discretely.

"I guess I'll make something to eat," Rin announced, darting her gaze back and forth between the two.

Biting her lip, she went into the kitchen, leaving behind her a scene of vast insecurity and fear.

* * *

Read and Review, please! (heart bubbles)


	6. Chapter 6

Sorry it's taking me so long between updates. So much has happened lately, I haven't been able to put my head on straight for anything. But, I'm trying, I really am.

This chapter introduces our other baddie. I do hope that you enjoy it. :)  


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**Lessons Learned the Hard Way**

**Six**

Naji paced back and forth across a small, sparsely furnished room. She cast glances from time to time into a semi-darkened corner, her eyes unreadable.

"I want them found. I want them found, but I don't want them killed. I want to have them brought to me, to us. Especially the vampire. The girl is yours."

"And the boy?"

She stopped, turning to face the man fully. He leaned forward, red-brown hair falling into his shocking green eyes. He stared at her levelly, hands folded neatly before him.

"What about him?" she asked easily, resuming her pacing.

"He's a nuisance. You know he'd cause trouble."

"He'll be dealt with accordingly."

"You have some stake in him, don't you? There's something about him that you want."

Naji stopped once more, fingers reaching up to clutch at the necklace that hung around her neck, concealed by the high neckline of her black dress. She thought about his comment, closing her eyes momentarily, searching for her control.

"And if I do?"

He sat back, fading into the shadows of the room. "Then we'll see."

Naji turned slightly and stared at him, her eyes easily cutting the shadows away from his face. She allowed a small smile curl her lips, the wisp of a laugh escaping her lips.

"Yes, Thomas, we will see, won't we?"

-

Kei snapped awake, breathing sharply in the stifling heat of the room. Groaning, he sat up, rubbing his face with his hands. The apartment was silent, the clock reading two in the morning. Turning his gaze, he saw the outline of Rin on his bed, lying on her stomach beneath a thin sheet.

In sleep, she looked like the child he remembered all the years before. The years of fighting to survive the hard world melted away over closed eyelids and slightly parted lips. Rin's life, like Sho's, was harder than Kei would have liked it to be.

Sighing, he twisted around, settling his feet onto the cool floor of the living room. Rubbing his face once more, he stood and moved to the window. Cautiously, he looked out past the curtain. He immediately found the figure of the man set to watch the apartment that night. They tried to be discrete, he gave them credit for that, but he had the sneaking suspicion that no one had told them that there was a vampire in the apartment. If they knew, they'd try so much harder.

Tonight's watcher was smaller than that of the past few nights, dressed in loose jeans, a tee, and a light jacket. He was sitting on a bench about half a block away, reading a book with a small battery powered light. He turned the page, the light momentarily illuminating his face. Kei bit his lip. The man was hardly more than a teenage boy.

Dropping the curtain, Kei turned around to survey the living room behind him. Shadows on shadows, no depth, no movement. He had insisted that the room be completely dark, not wanting to see his surroundings, not wanting to be reminded of the life he had created with Sho, when he came home from hunting at night. It was just another reminder of the monster that he truly was.

"Kei?"

The vampire looked up, caught off guard for a moment by the sleepy voice winding out of the darkness. Picking through the shadows, he saw Rin sitting up, blinking lazily through the bars in his direction.

"Why are you awake?" he asked quietly, glancing in the general direction of Sho's closed door.

"I don't know," she yawned. "Come sit with me?"

Kei moved through the room, rounding the divider quietly, reaching out to touch her shoulder lightly before settling onto the edge of the bed beside her.

"I wanted to talk to you about something," she said softly. "About who and what I am."

Kei sat quietly, knowing full well what she meant, but letting her talk. Rin really needed to say it out loud.

"My father was Sakota Tora. We're originally from Tokyo where our family had lived for generations before. Our history is long, interwoven completely with that of hundreds of other families."

He listened raptly, hands clasped in front of him.

"We come from a long line of hunters," Rin continued, her voice tinted with nervousness and fear. "Monster hunters. Each family was designated one kind. The Sakota family, my family, hunted vampires."

She turned in the darkness, clutching at his arm convulsively.

"Years ago, when I was little, six years old I think, my family home was attacked by two vampires; a male and a female. The female, she wanted to kill me, but her companion wouldn't let her. My father was terrified that I would be honor bound to that vampire, that I would uphold the teachings that when one's life is saved, the favor must be returned to the savior. But try as I might to remember, I've forgotten his face. I've forgotten both of their faces. You see, you're not the first vampire I've had contact with like this."

"Actually," Kei said softly. "We have met… before. So, I _am_ the first you've had this contact with."

"W-what?" Rin's nails dug into Kei's forearm.

"Rin," he began, shifting so he could face her completely, taking her trembling hand into his own cold one. "Serinity. I… I'm the vampire from that night. I was the one who kept her from killing you. I turned on Naji, disobeyed and betrayed her. For you. For the big eyed little girl with the moonlight in her hair."

Rin's jaw worked up and down, small choking sounds escaping her throat as she tried to vocalize her thoughts.

"I'm sorry I didn't say anything sooner," Kei went on, smoothing her hair from her cheek. "I thought that it was something that you'd have to come to me with."

She finally managed to formulate a clear thought, her grip tightening again.

"You saved me. Even back then, you saved me. I always knew I'd see you again. Thank you, thank you, thank you."

She folded herself into his embrace, dry-eyed, yet overwhelmed by it all.

"There's something I've been wondering," she said suddenly, pulling out of his arms, nervous once more.

"What?"

"That night, when we went after Sho, Naji said something that confused me. She asked if you would make Sho your 'vampire love.' What's that about?"

Kei chewed on his lower lip thoughtfully, trying to formulate an answer that would make sense.

"Rin," he began slowly, "to a Vampire, 'love' has many different connotations. Humans believe that the heart is the focal point for the emotion of love. Having no beating heart, Vampires do not _feel _love, per say. It's more of a… drive… a desire for companionship."

He paused, mulling his explanation over in his mind. He felt Rin draw her knees up and wrap her arms around them.

"Vampires are lonely creatures, aren't they?" she asked quietly, her voice almost ghostly in the inky blackness around them.

"We can be," Kei returned. "Can you imagine an eternity alone? Watching the world pass you by each and every day? I've seen children born, grown, and died. So many sunrises and sunsets have passed in my turning. I wanted so many times to die. I would have, too, if not for Sho and Toshi."

"I know you raised them," Rin supplied. "More or less, at least."

"I did, yes. They were just children, innocent. That itself touched a chord in the tiny flicker of humanity I had left in me. I saved them that day, though I didn't know why at the time. I think, though, I've begun to understand my decision."

Kei shifted on the bed, leaning back and bracing himself on his arms. His eyes drifted through the shadows, keen sight picking through the darkness.

"Sho looked into my eyes that day. No fear, no disgust. Just… childlike curiosity. He seemed to understand inherently that I'd never hurt him. At least, not intentionally. After a while, Shinji left, so it was just Sho, Toshi, and myself. Eventually, though, Toshi had to move on and find his own niche in life. Sho's the only one who's stayed, stuck it out with me."

Rin nodded, understanding his line of thought completely.

"Rin, one day Sho will leave. Whether he leaves in life or in death, he will leave. And I have to prepare for that day. I hate it, loathe it, deny it, but it's true. What Naji meant by 'love' that night… she meant would I turn him. Make him a vampire."

Rin let out an understanding "Ah" into the darkness, thinking about what he'd said.

"Would you, though?"

"Turn Sho? No, never. I love him too much for that." Kei stared into the darkness, worry etching his brow. "No. I couldn't do that. Couldn't…"

Without another word to Rin, Kei got up and left the room, disappearing into the darkened kitchen. Rin felt him go, sitting where he'd left her for a few moments before shifting to curl onto her side. She'd felt his palpable unease and hesitancy when he'd answered her question. Rin had the foresight to read between the lines.

No, Kei would never attack and turn Sho. That much was certainly true. But, the vampire that Kei was inside… could he be controlled enough to save them?

-

With his boyish good looks, Thomas Foster could get anything he wanted. Money, guns, airplanes, boats, cars. Even women. At thirty, it was almost hard to believe that he'd kept himself so fit in the state of the world. With a quiet air, Foster had carried himself through life and had forged an expanding empire that encompassed parts of three continents, massive amounts of man power, and a portion of the black market.

Foster commanded respect. He'd learned well from his father the secret to obtaining and holding said respect: fear. At times in his life, Foster had been forced to employ the brutish acts that his father had loved dearly; the extermination of entire groups of people or the removal of a single man from the course of progress. Foster never took pleasure in death. It wasn't something he looked forward to. Regardless, if need be, he'd do it. Progress demanded it.

Through the act of fear, Foster was able to gain and keep his handhold in the underworld of crime. By instilling in his enemies the idea that he was unbeatable and invincible, he'd been able to meld gangs into his organization. All rights and gain came back to him, and through the select few that he'd kept close, everything was distributed back out. He kept their loyalty to him, even by a bare thread at times, with a carefully created and maintained network.

All of this, though, was a cover for what he was _really _doing. For twelve years, Foster had been on a mission of sorts. What began as a simple double-cross had escalated into an all out war, and Foster was down to the last piece of the puzzle.

Rin.

He'd followed her out of Japan, knowing that she was the last of her family. Along the way, though, he'd lost her and met Naji. The insane vampire would have killed him had he not proposed an alliance. He'd found quickly that Naji wasn't to be trifled with. In fact, she could be downright terrifying if the mood struck her. She came and went as she pleased, and her presence was already giving birth to whispers among his men that he was losing his touch.

But Foster knew that he needed Naji. She'd found a way to smoke the girl out into the open and expose her weakness. It was only recently that he'd learned of Naji's other motive; the vampire, Kei. Only sheer will alone had forced him to keep his cool. Yet, Naji had willingly agreed that Foster could have Rin if Kei was handed over to her. Foster shuddered to think why.

Sitting in the darkness, Foster stared at the ceiling, thoughts whirling. There was so much to do, so very much to plan for. Intel came in every few hours on the movements of Rin and her friends, but he'd yet to find a way to flush them all into the open. He wanted to take them all at once. It was simpler, cleaner.

Progress. Progress demanded patience and sacrifice. Foster's mafia father had taught him that, more often than not with a cane in his hand. He'd learned and obeyed, and now instilled those same lessons in his subordinates. _That_ was progress.

A light chirring sound rattled the darkness. Reaching out, Foster picked his vibrating cell phone up off of the table.

"Yes?" He spoke softly, his voice barely above a whisper. "Is that so? Good. Move forward as planned. Yes. Good work."

He snapped the phone shut, rising from his chair.

"Leave," he commanded.

A lithe young woman rose from the bed across the room, pulling her silk robe closer to her body as she expertly left the pitch black room without a sound. A square of light opened momentarily, spilling onto the blood red carpet brightly before fading away to the click of the door being closed.

"I know you're there."

"Of course I am." Naji reached to the lamp beside her and turned it on, casting a dim glow in the far corner of the room. "Did you expect otherwise?"

Foster surveyed the vampire, his sharp eyes taking in every detail.

"You heard?"

"Every word."

"Good." He nodded. "Things are progressing nicely. We'll have what we want soon enough."

Naji smiled.

"Everything and so much more."  


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Please read and review!


	7. Chapter 7

So, here 'tis. Another sad chapter. I beg forgiveness. -grovel- Do enjoy anyway, please?

* * *

**Lessons Learned the Hard Way**

**Seven**

_After the fact, none of them could blame themselves. Or, maybe they could all blame each other. Perhaps, also, they could claim it was a freak accident, nothing more than the luck of the draw. Whatever it was, it was costly. And that was something they weren't about to let themselves forget._

-

"I vote for a night out."

Four sets of eyes turned sharply on Kei. Another quiet week and a half had passed without coincidence, and Kei had begun to notice signs of cabin fever in Sho. The boy moped around the apartment, only going outside to smoke in the cleaner air. His attitude was surly at best, and the only conversation to be gotten from him was clipped words, sarcastic remarks, and disdainful looks.

Rin, on the other hand, kept herself busy; she cooked and did a little cleaning, and she passed her time happily reading all of Kei's Anne Rice books. She also spent evenings sitting at the window, talking to Kei about anything and everything, filling the small apartment with her laughter at times.

"A night out?" Son asked quizzically from his spot on the couch.

"Yes, a night out," Kei repeated. "We can't very well sit here all night and do nothing. I don't know about you guys, but I could use a change of pace."

"I'd love to join you," Toshi said, dragging himself from the floor, "but I've got to work tonight. Have fun without me, and tell me everything later!"

Toshi was out the door quickly, causing everyone in the room to flinch as it slammed closed behind him. With a sigh, Kei turned his attention back to the remaining three.

"So?"

Rin smiled at him over the top of her book, winking slyly. Son nodded and shrugged, indicating his willingness to go along. Sho took longer, staring placidly at the ceiling for a few long moments before offering his own shrug and rising from the couch silently. Kei watched his young friend move out of the living room to the hallway, worry worming its way into his eyes.

"Hey," Rin said, leaning in to lay a hand gently on Kei's arm. "We'll figure something out. Don't worry so much."

Kei nodded, getting to his feet to get his jacket. Sho hadn't been the same since the incident with Shinji, nor had Shinji made any effort to reconcile with his younger brother. Jesse had stopped by a few times to let Sho know how Shinji was doing, but other than that, no word came in. Sho didn't dare go back to the shop without permission, either. Each day that passed with no word was another stabbing wound on Sho's heart.

Ten minutes later, they were all three piled in Sho's old clunker of a car with Son behind the wheel. Kei watched Sho from the corner of his eye where they were both tucked into the back seat. Rin turned sideways to talk to him.

"Hey Sho, there's this new place on the other side of town. Upscale Down. What say we start there?"

"Sure. Why not?"

"Oh come on, Sho," Rin pouted. "Don't be a party-pooper this early in the game."

Kei snickered, shooting a glance at Sho, noting the smirk that tugged the corners of the boy's mouth.

"Yah Sho," Son called from the front. "You can't shit on a place you've never even seen."

"What is this?" Sho called in mock indignation. "'Gang up on Sho' night?"

"Yes it is," Kei chimed in. "It was a unanimous decision."

Rin fell against her seat, laughing. Son smiled into the rearview mirror. Sho glared at the mock seriousness that shone on Kei's face.

"Watch it, pretty boy," Sho threatened. "I know things."

Kei grinned and rolled his eyes, settling back into the seat as they rolled to a stop at a light. They passed jokes back and forth for the rest of the ride, trying to believe for a while that the world wasn't trying to turn upside down on them.

"Here we are," Son announced, pulling into the already crowded lot behind the small club.

Still laughing, Rin slid out and pulled the seat forward to let Kei out. Sho climbed out from behind Son, punching the older man lightly in the arm in passing. Rin looped her arms with Son and Kei, grinning up at the three men that surrounded her.

"I'm one lucky damn girl," she quipped, letting out a giggle.

"The luckiest in this place," Sho commented from behind the trio, reaching up to poke Rin playfully in the ribs, earning a squeal.

"And luckier than most are going to get," Son added, laughing.

Kei smiled and shook his head, gripping Rin's arm tightly as they slipped through the door into the smoky interior, immediately absorbing the loud music. Dancers amassed on the small dance floor, their bodies dangerously close to one another. The smell of sweat and alcohol permeated the air around the four as they pushed and shoved their way to an open booth at the back. Almost at once, a pretty blonde waitress appeared, smiling and taking their orders. She vanished back into the crowd quickly, leaving them to settle in.

Rin laughed over her cola, watching the dancers cavort to the live band. Son slipped an arm around her shoulders, relaxing back against the seat. Kei propped his elbows on the table around his glass of water, surveying the crowd closely while keeping an eye on Sho. The younger man sat on an outer edge of the booth, his long legs stretched out before him, his eyes roving over and over the crowd of people.

"Hey," Kei leaned over to speak into Sho's ear. "If you want to go dance, go dance."

Sho was gone instantly, winding his way into a crowd of attractive young women. His three friends were left to laugh at his behavior. It was funny how Sho could go from sulking to beaming in less than a nanosecond at times. Kei leaned back next to Rin, smiling when she slipped a hand into his.

"He needed this," she shouted, her eyes flickering in the direction Sho had vanished.

Kei nodded, turning back to the crowd. Sho appeared from time to time, smiling broadly as he panted over his drink. He was only allowed a few moments before one young woman or another was there to drag him back into the crowd. Son convinced Rin after a time to share a dance or three with him. Casting an apologetic glance at Kei, she slipped away with him.

"Damn, it's hot," Sho remarked, dropping into the booth next to Kei moments later.

"No, really?" Kei shot back playfully, jabbing his friend in the arm.

"Ouch! Hey!" Sho poked back, his smile broadening.

"So, how many of them want to take you home?"

Sho shot Kei a dark glance. "Enough of them."

"And?"

"And what?"

"Which one will you go home with?"

Sho rolled his eyes at his surrogate father figure, sticking his tongue out in a child like fashion.

"That's for me to know and you not to."

In a flash, he was gone again. Rin and Son came back and Rin talked Kei into a dance when the tempo suddenly changed and the song turned slow. At Son's urging, the Vampire allowed himself to be led out into the mix, tensing momentarily when Rin slipped her arms around his neck. Biting his lip, he laid his hands on her hips as they began to move to the music.

"Kei," Rin said, leaning her lips close to his ear, "I want to thank you. You've been so good to me, I don't know how I'll ever be able to repay it all."

Kei closed his eyes against his roiling emotions as Rin settled her head on his shoulder. His grip on her tightened, almost as if he were afraid she'd take it all back and leave him alone. And suddenly, Kei felt old; so very old, and his life seemed worthless, but for the young woman in his arms and the young man dancing a few feet away with a petite red headed girl. He let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and let his years flow away, trying to recall what it had been like to be their age.

All too soon, the song ended and Rin was pulling away, smiling. Gripping her hand, Kei placed a chaste kiss on her temple, brushing a few loose strands of hair aside from her cheek. Sho appeared and stole Rin for a dance, flashing a smile at Kei as the vampire turned back to the booth.

They spent the rest of the night drinking and smoking, with the exception of Rin on both parts, and generally enjoying the camaraderie that came with being a family.

-

It was nearing three in the morning when Toshi grew anxious. No one was answering their phones, and none of them had called since he'd left the apartment. He'd searched a few of the local clubs and bars that they frequented, but no one had seen either Kei or Sho that night. Trying Sho's phone again, Toshi climbed back onto his scooter and headed back to their apartment.

-

At two forty-five, Rin took the keys from Son and handed them to Kei. She managed to get a semi-drunk Son into the backseat while Kei dropped an exhausted Sho next to him. The two climbed into the front seat.

The ride home was quiet as the three younger people dozed. Kei drove slowly, relishing the silence of the night. The rest of the world slumbered on this warm night. Only a few rare souls were out wandering the streets, and most of them were drunk or homeless. Or both.

Five minutes from the apartment, Kei's sixth sense began to prickle, then burn. Rin seemed to sense something too, because she sat up, alert and fully awake.

"Kei?" she called softly.

"I know," he returned, reaching over to grip her hand momentarily. "I know."

"That's…" she began, her widening eyes traveling from Toshi's scooter in the lot to the silhouette of the young man on the landing outside their apartment. "Oh no…" she groaned, rising up to yell. "TOSHI!"

Just as he began to turn, hearing Rin's voice behind him, the world erupted in a chaotic symphony of light and sound.

-

Toshi parked his scooter, staring up at the darkened apartment with growing unease. His stomach churning, he climbed off the bike and started up the stairs. He'd been about to raise a hand to knock on the door when he'd heard Rin's voice. The sheer terror in her scream had startled him, his stomach lurching forward. Just as he turned, the apartment exploded behind him.

The force of the blast sent Toshi's body flying over the railing and into the open air of the parking lot below. Rin screamed again as he began to plummet. His body impacted with something hard, and he heard the crunch of shattering glass in his ears before his entire world went dark.

-

After the fact, none of them could blame themselves. Or, maybe they could all blame each other. Perhaps, also, they could claim it was a freak accident, nothing more than the luck of the draw. Whatever it was, it was costly. And that was something they weren't about to let themselves forget.

Shattered glass had littered the four of them in the car. Rin, who had been standing almost on the front seat of the car, had borne the brunt of it. Her face bore a line of cuts across her cheeks and brow, while her hands were wrapped in layers of gauze from the removal of glass that had become imbedded in her palms. Son and Sho had only suffered minor abrasions, while Kei, oddly enough to the doctors, didn't have a mark on him.

Now, Sho, Son, and Rin sat in the hospital waiting room. Kei had left just before the sun came up in an attempt to find somewhere to hunker down for the day. When Son asked, Sho told him that Kei was going to make police reports and handle all of the formalities.

"Excuse me, are you here with Toshi?"

The three friends looked up at an elderly man in a white coat standing in the doorway, looking in Sho's direction.

"Yes," Sho said, standing up. "We are. How is he?"

"I'm Doctor Nishida. You're down as his next of kin, so if you'll come with me."

Casting a glance at Rin and Son, Sho followed. A nurse leaving Toshi's room gave Sho a sympathetic look, hurrying away, but not before Sho glimpsed the blood covered pile of rags that might have been Toshi's clothing in her arms. Stomach churning, Sho followed the doctor into the room.

"First of all, I have to ask," the doctor stopped at the curtain drawn around the bed. "What happened?"

Sho swallowed hard before answering, his mind racing as he blinked back the tears. "We… we don't know exactly. We went out, but Toshi… he had to work. He stayed behind. I guess w-we stayed out later than we expected. When we got back to the a-apartment, Toshi was there, waiting for us. Rin… she called, called his name. He turned… then… then…"

Nishida nodded, his face impassive. "I must tell you, his injuries are expansive. His left side was burned pretty badly along the chest and shoulder, down to his hip. The impact from his fall caused some internal damage, albeit most of which was easily repaired. The blow to the back of the head did more to him than any of his other injuries. He's comatose."

With that, Doctor Nishida pulled the curtain back. Sho choked and took an involuntary step back. He suddenly couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't _see_. Turning on his heal, he fled the room.

-

"Sho?" Rin placed a warm hand on the older boy's shoulder, concern lacing her voice. "What is it?"

"Toshi's… in a coma," Sho answered, his voice low and distraught. "He's got… tubes… and wires… But that's… that's not Toshi. That's… he's too quiet." Sho turned frantic eyes on Son and Rin. "Where's Toshi? Where is he? Where's my friend?"

Sho broke down and cried.

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Read and Review, please! -heart bubbles-


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